


Sign

by Copycatpsych



Category: Attack on Titan, Reader - Fandom, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, aot, reader insert - Fandom, snk - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Neglect, One Sided Love, Soulmates, and Mikasa - Freeform, how do tags work??, i love them your honor, reader deserves the world, so does historia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-31 08:35:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20790173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Copycatpsych/pseuds/Copycatpsych
Summary: [Modern!/Soulmate! AU] [Eren Yeager/Reader]In this society, soulmates were given the chance to see the others 'signs' by the age of nineteen. These signs were from a pen or ink was visible to the other soulmate on the exact spot on their body. Now at the age of twenty-three, [Name] has yet to receive anything from her soulmate and she's beginning to lose hope. All she wanted was a sign.





	1. one

[Name] lies awake in bed, watching her alarm clock count down the minutes until the next day. 

11:59 p.m.

Tomorrow was [Name]'s nineteenth birthday, which meant that she'd finally be able to communicate with her soulmate. She had been waiting and dreaming of this day for years, but of course, she was worried about the possible outcomes of the situation at hand. If her soulmate was younger than her then they could not reply back by marking their skin. Of course, now technology has advanced and soulmates give each other their social links and cell phone number in order to stay in contact or even see what they looked like. Though, [Name] was hesitant and wanted to wait sometime before giving such personal information to a possible stranger, no matter how close they'd eventually be in their future. Finally, the clock struck 12:00 a.m. 

[Name] has read over the Internet how relieving the feeling was now that you could communicate your soulmate was, but she felt the exact opposite. What would she say to begin with? Was a 'Hey' good enough? What about:

Hey! It's your soulmate here. Just turned nineteen! Hope to hear from you soon? 

She stared at her unmarked wrists. Did it seem desperate if she wrote at 12 a.m? Maybe she should wait until later that morning just to seem casual? Gosh, who was she kidding? She just wanted to know what kind of situation she was going to be in. If she was younger, older, if they were still alive. [Name]'s heartbeat quickened, what if it happened to her? What if once she wrote her message, it won't wash off like the messages that were written when the soulmate was alive? She grabbed the pen on her desk and with a shaky hand wrote: Hi. 

The ink stayed the same glossy dark blue and soon after it dried up and became what looked similar to a tattoo. She wiped her fingers over the writing and watched as the letters smudged slightly. She was safe, they were safe. Now all she needed was for them to reply back, but it was late and she was beginning to feel foolish for writing at this hour. Deciding that waiting would be just as foolish, she rolled over and covered herself with her blanket before submitting herself to sleep. 

Morning soon came and the two lettered word was still on her wrist. There was still no message back from them and she tried to think of other solutions as to why. They could be younger, not be awake at the moment or even ignore the writing entirely. Whatever the case was, [Name] still reassured herself that there was still more time to find her soulmate. There was nothing to worry about. The day continued and the little message was long forgotten once [Name] made her way to her college course. It was brought up again once she reunited with a friend who wanted to see her first message from her soulmate. 

"Oh, come on! Just a 'Hi'? Could you be any more boring [Name]?" Ymir laughed as she wrapped an arm around [Name]'s shoulders before rubbing her knuckles against the other's head. Groaning from the pain, [Name] was quick to react and slapped Ymir's arms away from herself. 

"Well, I couldn't think of anything else. What was I supposed to write?" [Name] glared up at her friend who smirked down at her. "Well, for starters, don't write 'Hi'. It's so boring and honestly doesn't help them out on how to reply back."

"Oh, just because your first message to Historia was so unique you have a reason to criticize my message? Your message was just as stupid and don't deny it!" Ymir smacked the backside of [Name]'s head then playfully shoved her away as they walked the halls of their college campus. Ymir continued to ignore her younger friend's protests and walked her way to their group's usual meeting spot in the quad. [Name], with brows furrowed and an expression of annoyance across her face, followed the older of the two to find the rest of their friends. Upon arriving at their regular spot, the whole friend group was there chatting. Jean was the first to take notice of the pair walking their way over, "Hey, here comes the birthday girl!" 

The rest of the group consisted of Marco, Historia, Armin and Sasha, all who cheered once they too noticed [Name]. Sasha rushed her way over to the youngest of the group and engulfed her in a bone-crushing embrace. With a loud laugh, [Name] returned the gesture and could feel more arms wrap themselves around the two. Various 'Happy Birthday's were said to her and they were eager to see what was written on her wrist. 

"Oh, just 'Hi'?" Historia's soft-spoken voice caught [Name]'s attention as she was previously talking to Armin about what to say to her soulmate. [Name] could feel her cheeks warm up and cleared her throat, "Yeah, couldn't really think of anything else."

Historia smiled, "Well, it's better than 'Are you down to do this shit?'." Majority of the group burst out into laughter while [Name] and Armin laughed nervously when the noticed Ymir's deathly glare. The duo would preferably not be whacked upside the head by arguably the strongest person of their friend group. And their predictions came true as Sasha, Jean, and Marco were soon whacked by Ymir who soon gave them a shit-eating grin. The group quickly changed the topic of Ymir's first response and settled with what [Name] should write next for her soulmate. 

"How about meeting them in a public place? Like the mall?" Sasha said in between bites of her burrito. Jean's face scrunched up in distaste, "I think you should swallow before speaking, Sash."

To make matters worse, Sasha took it upon herself to give Jean an up-close look at her meal in her mouth. Jean shoved the brunette away immediately, "Stop it!" 

[Name] rolled her eyes at how childish the two could be together. Historia chimed in next, "Maybe the mall isn't a bad place though? It's public and you won't worry if they try to do anything sketchy, right?"

Others with the exception of [Name] hummed in agreement. Would it a little odd to see soulmates unite at the mall? Maybe the park? She might have to look it up later today. "Maybe. But they haven't even replied yet, I'll just wait it out a few days before asking to meet them."

"Oh, what if they're in a different time-zone! Or, or, they're in middle school, imagine [Name] with a younger guy-" Marco's elbow struck into Jean's neck and the latter soon began coughing. It was obvious how uncomfortable [Name] felt when Jean makes the comments, but it could be possible. What if she was a cougar? Could she even consider it being a cougar? Nothing seemed to make any sense to her anymore. The heat in her cheeks was becoming unbearable and [Name] covered them with her palms. 

"[Name], you know he's just messing around. I'm sure your soulmate will reply soon." Marco voiced and smiled, Jean was a still making a slow recovery from the harsh blow, but still nodded along. Jean would make sure to get back at his soulmate for nearly killing him. But [Name] would soon discover that her soulmate would be a stubborn one. 

...

After several attempts to meet with her soulmate, [Name] learned that they would not meet up with her no matter how much she reassured them that she only wanted to see them for a few hours. It didn't matter that they would be in a public place or even in her own apartment, her soulmate would never appear at the said place and time. They chose to ignore every single message written to them by [Name] and in some cases by her friends who wanted to say a few words to them.

There were times when all the girls would have sleepovers and when [Name] was fast asleep, Historia and Sasha would write a small 'Please reply, she just wants to get to know you.' and make sure to rub it away the next morning before [Name] woke up later that day. Nothing would come out of them and they soon gave up on their friend's soulmate when [Name] turned twenty. Jean slowly started to lessen his teasing soulmate jokes toward [Name], seeing as hers never seemed to reply and began growing a strong disliking to them for standing her up too many times, along with Ymir. He often accompanied her to those days where she was stood up and would turn the disappointing experience into an adventure of their own. Marco, on the other hand, would always reassure [Name] that her soulmate may not be capable of answering or possibly hadn't turned nineteen yet. He was constantly the little voice that encouraged her to keep writing to them. Ymir always voiced her opinion on how her soulmate wasn't considering her and she would encourage [Name] to slowly stop writing to her soulmate, but would instantly be scrolled by Historia. Armin would rarely voice his opinion on the subject, but would only remain positive for [Name]'s sake. He opted to remain quiet about the whole situation. It definitely raised some eyebrows in their small friend group, but they chose to not pressure Armin into answering their open question. 

Weeks turned to months, which soon turned into years and [Name]'s twenty-third birthday was approaching quickly. Maybe it was the fact that slowly each one of her friends was beginning to lose hope that she would meet her soulmate that [Name] felt the need to take a day off from writing to her soulmate on her birthday. It almost became some sort of taboo to mention the word around her and she was seeing that with each passing day. 

Currently, she sat in her cramped apartment, if she could even call it one. It was one she planned to move out of soon and had various moving boxes filled with her possessions. She sat on her mattress that lay on the floor of her nearly empty room. Moving was stressful, especially when you're doing the majority of the packing alone. It was times like these where [Name] wished her soulmate wasn't so stubborn. She wanted to have someone by her side to support her through stressful situations or give her some sense of comfort. She reached for her bag and searched for her trusty pen.

'Why are you so stubborn?' The blue ink sunk in and promptly turned into its tattoo like state. She stared at the question and waited. Within the next few minutes, it faded and she was able to decipher that they were washing away her question by how smudged the words soon became. Her hope wasn't entirely crushed, but it still stung when they would go to greater lengths at ignoring her than writing back.

'There's no time to sulk, gotta get ready.'

Today was like any other, get to class, meet up with friends, eat lunch together and head to work then get back home. It became a routine she was getting weary of and wanted some kind of excitement in her life to fill the emptiness she felt on a daily basis. As she and Ymir followed the same hallway to their usual meeting spot, Ymir seemed too quiet and [Name] didn’t like one bit of it. "Why so quiet, 'Mir?"

"Your birthday's coming up." Ymir's voice held an emotion that [Name] could only describe as tender. That wasn't like Ymir at all. 

"What of it?" [Name] felt a tightness run through her chest, she was starting to hate how her friends treated her like some fragile glassware. They tipped-toed around the subject, making sure that they were careful with their words and it became painfully obvious how much they tried to avoid the topic in general. Why couldn't they treat her like they had before her nineteenth birthday? Ymir's arm came around [Name]'s shoulders and squeezed her closer. As much as [Name] knew that it was meant to reassure her that Ymir would always be by her side, it only confirmed [Name]'s theory on why they treated her with so much caution. She just wanted some normalcy back into her life, was it too much to ask for? 

The two soon approached the rest of their group, [Name] becoming aware of how quiet they became once the duo were only a few steps from them. Marco was the first to speak up, "So, [Name] what do you plan to do on the weekend? Some of us were thinking of going out for your birthday. You get to choose what we do all day!" His smile never failed to warm her heart, she appreciated his supportive efforts in letting her feel included instead of the partner-less one of the group. When her mood brightened so did the atmosphere around the group. It was similar to how the group interacted four years prior. How she missed those days. The conversation flowed between the seven until Sasha slipped up, "Just don't write to your soulmate. It's not like they’ll an-" 

It immediately grew silent and Sasha cut herself off before more damage could be done. Shame was visible on her face, Sasha knew she overstepped some boundaries. Historia was the first to react, coughing before trying to keep the lively conversation by repeating her question on what they should plan to wear, but it was clear to them that [Name] was irritated by the comment. Was this what they all thought whenever she wrote to her soulmate in front of them? Did they believe in her as much as they said they did? [Name] felt as though her heart was twisting and squeezed to a point of no return. Before [Name] knew it, her vision blurred and she felt small arms wrap themselves around her. Historia brought [Name]'s head to the crook of her neck and tried to soothe her. Hesitantly, [Name] removed her friend's arms from her and wiped away the tears that threaten to fall. She kept her head down and refused to meet eye contact with any of them, "I- I think I need time alone right now. I'll see you guys around."

Ymir's hand instantly grabbed onto [Name]'s forearm, pulling her back into the group, "Sasha didn't mean it. Please don't go isolating yourself over bullshit like this. We need to talk this shit out." Her voice was stern that it only drove [Name] to break down. The next thing that she knew was the small group having a crying fest in their school's quad. With sore eyes, [Name] could only find wipe away the remaining tears and give each of her friends a tight embrace. 

“Let me make myself clear, I don’t want you guys telling me lies. I just want honesty, that’s all. Be real with me about my situation because I care about what you all say. Especially with my stupid ass soulmate! Okay, maybe they’re not stupid, but with them not answering I-“ 

“No, they’re a stupid ass, alright,” Jean commented while he tried hiding any evidence that he had cried. Marco wrapped his arms around his soulmate’s waist and laid his head against Jean’s chest, as the rest of their friends chuckled over the comment made. 

The heavy atmosphere was lifted and it suddenly felt light and airy, all but for one. They all soon felt pleased with the outcome and made plans for later that weekend to celebrate [Name]’s birthday. While making her way to the school parking lot, [Name] felt a slight tap on her shoulder. Letting out a small gasp, she turned and was met with Armin, who seemed off in her opinion. 

“Armin, what’s up? You seem a little... well not yourself.” He held his arms back and cleared his throat, “[Name], I- I just want to let you know that whoever your soulmate is- jus-just let them know that they’ve lost someone so incredibly special. It’s unfortunate that they’re stubbornness blinds them from seeing what could only benefit their life and I’m sorry you even have to go through any of this.” 

With teary eyes, Armin engulfed his close friend into an embrace as they let out a few more tears that day. But Armin was right, it was upsetting she had to leave her soulmate to keep striving and to be loved by someone who would truly be there with her. Maybe it was time for her to finally move on. Holding Armin tighter than before, [Name] listened to his heartbeat as they stood there. Wiping away any more tears, she kissed Armin’s cheek and thanked him for his kind words. They were much needed and she was grateful to have a friend like him by her side. They said their farewells once again before heading off into the direction of their cars. She had no idea how her friendly gesture had quicken the pace of her friend's heartbeat. 

Heading home seemed like the ideal decision to make, but with the number of boxed items and empty walls, nothing felt worse than being there. So where else would be a great place to tell her soulmate that she would no longer contact them? Her new apartment. She was in love with the new living space and was already given the keys, so where else to start anew than her new home? Of course, she was going to head home first to finally bring in a few of the boxes from her current apartment. 

Once she was all ready, she grabbed her bag that held her trusty pen and headed for the highway. The car ride was filled with radio music and [Name] hummed along, occasionally she would sing along to lyrics that she was familiar with. Parking the vehicle in her reserved spot, [Name] pulled her bag from the passenger seat and opened the trunk to take a box up with her. Settling some of her personal items into place, [Name] set her small table for herself, along with the two chairs that completed the set. Taking a seat in one of the chairs, she pulled out her trusty pen from the worn out bag and placed her arm before her. Pen in hand, she wrote what came into mind:

I understand if you don't want to be my soulmate. I only wanted an answer to know that there was one person out there who was supposedly meant for me. You don't need to reply, I'll move on.

A weight was being lifted and yet [Name] couldn't place why she felt such guilt. Why did she have to feel guilt over being ignored for so long? Why was she the one shedding tears over someone who didn't know her or didn't bother trying? It was twisted and she so desperately wanted to separate herself from the negative source in her life. She watched as her words on her arm were slowly washed away, only this time she could sense a hesitance in the way they washed away her words. It was far too slow than the usual pace her soulmate would wash her messages and it gave her a bit of hope that maybe her soulmate would agree to finally meet before leaving her. But as soon as the glimpse of hope made its way into her mind, it was quickly put out. They still were as stubborn as always. 

'It could only get better from here.'

[Name] could only hope that she would stay as strong-willed as she currently felt. All that was left for her now was to move forward with her life and prove to herself that she could live without a significant other, no matter how much society emphasized how great life would be with one. Now was her time to focus on what truly matters: herself and her happiness.

...

"They're writing again, aren't you going to answer?" The young Asian woman asked her sibling from behind his shoulder. His inaudible reply only earned a huff from the older sibling. He scowled down at his forearm where the writing began to appear, the tension between them thick and the room remained silent. Sitting in his seat, he rolled his eyes and reached for a serviette from the pile on the kitchen table. She watched as he dipped the serviette into his glass of water and prepared to wash the sign away. The woman deeply frowned at her sibling, arms crossed and staring down at the sibling who slouched in his seat. She grasped onto the man's arm, who immediately protested, "Mikasa, what the hell?!"

Mikasa refused to let go and instead began reading aloud what her younger brother's soulmate had written, "I understand if you don't want to be my soulmate. I only wanted an answer to know that there was one person out there who was supposedly meant for me," Her voice slowly lowered into a whisper, "You don't need to reply, I'll move on." 

Upon hearing the last sentence leave his sister's lips, the man yanked back his arm and gazed at the words. His sister's brows furrowed, what did he do to have his soulmate end their communication? She gently placed a hand over his shoulder and watched as he hesitantly reached for the serviette beside him and casually tried to wipe the life-changing words from his forearm. Though he had done it hundreds of times before, the young man's heart ached as he cleaned off any trace of his soulmate's sign. That was it. He had finally gotten them to get over him, to get over what could never be. So why did it feel like he had just done the exact opposite?

"Eren-"

"I gotta go, my shift starts in fifteen. I'll see you later, Mika." He promptly got up from his seat and grabbed his leather jacket that hung on the back of his seat. Mikasa raced her way to the front door before he could and snatched his car keys from the console table by the door. Once he reached Mikasa he let out a huff of annoyance, "Mikasa, I've gotta go. Gimme the keys."

"Not until you tell why your soulmate wants to end things. I thought you said things were fine between you two."

"Yeah, fine. As in it was none of your business. Now give me the keys." He reached behind her for their shared car keys, but she was sharper with her own actions. Once he charged toward her, Mikasa forced her palm onto his chest, sending him backward. Now on the floor and completely flustered, Eren eyes widened and he gave himself an extra couple of seconds to comprehend he was no longer standing. His older sibling gave the slightest glimpse of a smirk once his dazed state had withdrawn, but it was as gone as quick as it had appeared.

"What actually happened between you two?" Her voice held concern and Eren couldn't face her with feeling the shame that pent up throughout the years of ignoring his significant other. He chewed on his lip and avoided her piercing gaze because he knew that if he were to cave in and spill years worth of regret that she'd feel as disappointed in him. And the last thing he'd want is to disappoint his last family member. Seeing that her brother wouldn't bother getting himself up, Mikasa knelt down beside him then seated herself, reaching for his hand and waited for him to come clean. They sat on their floor in silence for a few minutes before he spoke, "I never did leave a sign for them. I'd just... wash away their signs and ignore them. They were stubborn, to say the least, and friends of theirs would write too. I could tell with the different handwriting, but I didn't bother with it." 

With a weight lifted off his shoulders, Eren finally looked over at his sister and watched as she absorbed the new information. She stared, waiting for him to continue and so he did, "I honestly thought the whole 'soulmate sign' system was bullshit, so I didn't see the point in answering them if it's just some system society practically shoves down our throats. I just wanted to find someone on my own, not be assigned someone who, for all I know, can be my exact opposite." 

"Washing their sign away is still a sign in itself, even without meaning it. And if they're as stubborn as you say, I'm sure they kept writing, but with reason. They were never told to stop. Neither an explanation as to why they weren't given an answer. Maybe now they've realized that with the treatment you've given them that they deserved someone who would actually be there," Eren winced, but Mikasa either didn't notice or chose to ignore it, "Sure you can be skeptical about the system, but don't forget that you now have someone else who is still connected to you through it. You're not the only one affected by it, Eren. Don't throw away someone so easily, not everyone has been lucky enough to still have a soulmate." He lowered his head and stared down at his sister's wrist with the words "I'm truly sorry." tattooed in dark black ink. It was thick and the darkest black he had ever seen, but he was certain that Mikasa had seen darker. 

"Give this person a chance, Eren. Or you'll regret letting them go so easily as you are now." His brows furrowed, "Like I am now?" With a small knowing smile, Mikasa lifted herself off from the ground and extended a hand to him, "Just think about okay? I'd like to be updated considering you did such a poor job before." He scoffed once more and the tension was lifted from the room. Though once he made his way to work, Mikasa's words echoed in his head and he took her advice for once. But how was he going to go through with meeting his supposed soulmate?


	2. two

"Hey, Armin! What's up?" [Name] opened her apartment door wide enough for her friend to pass through. The blond male peeked from behind his friend to catch a glimpse of her new living space before focusing on her frame, "I hoped that I could help around and organize the place if you don't mind. And I got you a house -em- an apartment warming gift!" He lifted the black plastic bags in his hands. A large smile sneaked its way onto [Name]'s face, she finally dragged Armin inside and giggled when she could hear him yelp out of surprise.

As he straightened himself, [Name] coaxed him to take a seat by her table as she prepared them some drinks and a small snack. What caught the blond's sight was the lone pen than bottled up as decor on the miniature table. The glass bottle wasn't decorated in any way with only a cork to top it off, the pen was tilted and noticeably was familiar to the young man. His brows furrowed and he couldn't quite pinpoint where he had seen that pen but wasn't going to bluntly ask his close friend about it either. He could hear the faint calls of his name but chose to ignore them since the thoughts he was processing were far stronger than that of the noise. That was before a hand touched his shoulder, startling him. 

"I asked if you wanted tea or coffee, Armin, but you don't seem too good," She placed the back of her hand on his forehead, while the other kept his head in place, "Hmm, your temperature is fine. If you'd like I can go get you some-"

"[Name], I'm fine. I was just a little uh- well the table decor- it's a little..." He could feel her gaze practically carving in holes on him. Her comely laugh could be heard and he felt the heat in his cheeks rise, "It's not meant to be decor, exactly. Just a reminder. It was the pen I'd use to send signs to them." 

The tone of her voice changed, the cheerfulness fading, and he knew that she was only placing a mask of reminiscence instead of the true feelings that hiding beneath it. He knew that she possibly faked her happiness so that the rest wouldn't bring the topic up as much, but he also knew that she didn't want to go through it all alone. She still craved to have someone near to comfort her and cherish her like those around her had. Her hand still placed on his shoulder, Armin reached and gave a quick squeeze, wanting to reassure her against whatever negative thoughts lie within that head of hers. Her locked gaze on the bottle was cut short and she focused on her friend’s warm smile. Returning the gesture, [Name] could feel the burning sensation start at the back of her eyes, knowing well that the tears were building up. Squeezing his hand tighter, [Name] let her tears flow freely and Armin was quick to take action, immediately standing and bringing in his friend into an embrace long needed. Her arms instantly wrapped themselves around him and her face hidden in the crook of his collar. All Armin could think of doing was rubbing her back in order to help calm her, but she only held on tighter and her body shook with every sob escaping her. For some time they stood beside the small table, holding each other until [Name] could relax and compose herself. 

"I just wish they had given me a chance." She whispered so low that Armin nearly didn't catch it. His heart broke right away when he heard her. Then and there he thought it was best to give [Name] a piece of his mind, "Why would you waste your time on someone who doesn't deserve it, [Name]? They're a complete moron for ignoring someone as gorge- great!" His voice reached a higher pitch and they had slowly begun increasing the space between them, "As great as you. [Name] you practically deserve the world, but being hung over them and keeping this thinking method would only swallow you up. Of course, you have the right to feel upset and mourn the fact that your life isn't what you expected, but don't think for a second that you weren't enough for that idiot. Don't think that just because someone out there didn't take the opportunity to make you theirs that others won't do the same." 

[Name] slowly released Armin, while wiping away any proof that she had even cried, "Armin, why did you keep quiet about my whole soulmate situation? It's so unlike you to just let me deal with something this serious alone... I really needed you." His body tensed and he knew there was no turning back if he spoke his mind once more. Though as tempting as it was, he knew that now, especially after her whole ordeal beside a stubborn soulmate who refuses to answer, wasn't the greatest way to reveal such feelings. It might come off the wrong way and when it came to her Armin needed everything to be as close to perfection as possible. With a heavy heart, he gave an excuse, "I just didn't know what to say... it was hard enough knowing you ended up beside someone who doesn't deserve you." Her lips pouted and creased brows, she noticed a patterned that Armin seemed to be doing; describing her soulmate as someone who didn't deserve her. 

"They're my soulmate, why shouldn't they deserve me?" He could feel the burning sensation behind his eyes as he took a deep breath before answer, "I- Are you fucking kidding me?"

There was no way it was happening. Not when he just told [Name] to forget them, for her to move on and concentrate on herself. It wasn't fair that they were so damn lucky to end up being hers. He let out a frustrated sigh and ran his hands through his hair in an attempt to calm himself down, but he knew that he needed to leave. Being around that sign was sickening him.

"W-What? What is it, Armin?" [Name], still clueless to the black lettering on her forearm, tried to reach Armin's arm, but froze mid-action. Her mouth hung open, eyes became glossy and she wasn't sure she was even breathing. The letters were large, almost half her pinky finger, but she was sure it was because they've never written on themselves since she became a part of their life. The letters were thin and close together. 

How about that meetup?

Her head shot up and the tears practically poured out when she and Armin made eye contact. There was a mix of emotions that Armin could see and it was a no brainer as to why. But he could see that even through all the pain and frustration that her soulmate brought to her, [Name] still let out a muffled giggle and quickly launched herself onto Armin. Her burst of laughter surprised him, but he pulled her closer when they soon turned into sobs. How else was he supposed to react other than being the supportive best friend?

...

"I hope you know that I'm going to be here when you two meet." Came Mikasa's voice behind Eren, who had just sent out his first sign. He choked on air, if it were even possible, "W-What? No! I just want it to be - you just can't!" But his sister was just as stubborn as he, "Like I'd let you off on your own. Not only do I want to get to know them, but I also want to at least see who's put up with you for this long." She took her usual seat across from him and began serving herself the home cooked meal that was displayed as the centering piece on their dining table. Eren, on the other hand, still didn't see the need to continue protesting the idea of Mikasa meeting his soulmate considering he was just too nervous to face them on his own, but the idea of being joined by a family member so quickly didn't seem to sit right with him. Maybe he should have them also invite a close relative as well? But the thought itself left Eren's stomach churn and his appetite was beginning to leave him. 

"Look, they left a sign." His sister voiced as she tried to discreetly peek at the sign. His attention now was gravitated to the sign on his forearm. He noticed that the lettering was a bit sloppy but still legible. 

Definitely.

The widest grin was plastered onto his face once he read their sign, but now what was left was the location. Exactly where they would decide was uncertain. Upon explaining it to his soulmate, it took a bit longer than expected but they managed to come to an agreement. Realizing that their current situation wasn't like any other, it would mean that gathering in a public place was clearly out of the question. It was more apparent to both Mikasa and [Name] than Eren, who tried and miserably failed to argue the pros of appearing publicly. Either of their apartments seemed ideal but after persistence from Eren and, unbeknownst to her, Mikasa, [Name] gave in and agreed to meet Eren at 'his' apartment. Now Eren began to struggle on how to tell his 'destined' significant other that Mikasa planned to join them as well. How else other than telling the complete truth?

My sister will be with me to meet you. If you'd feel safer to bring another it's welcome.

He didn't get a reply for some time. He was sure they were either freaking out or considering to choose their words carefully. 

I don't have any immediate family to bring on short notice, but I can bring in a couple of friends if that's alright? 

As long as you're comfortable. Bring as many as you'd like.

"Hope you don't regret signing that away." Mikasa made a noise that Eren thought was similar to a chortle, or as close to one as Mikasa could make, as she read the sign and walked off into her bedroom. Her attitude had definitely lifted now that she knew Eren and his partner were to finally be introduced, it was what Carla would have wanted. She was hoping that he would have much better luck compared to hers. It was what Eren needed and deserved after having to deal with such unfortunate events. Mikasa wanted for Eren to move forward before she did, it was essential for her. She felt that it was her duty as an older sister to ensure the happiness of her younger brother before hers, no matter what others thought of it. 

Eren, however, was having a moment to himself to finally wrap his head on the fact that he was facing his soulmate. Just months ago he was avoiding them like a plague, not believing in the system that had been drilled into his head from the moment he was able to read and write. Now here he was, a pen in hand hovering over his forearm. It didn't seem real. How could so much change? Was it guilt? Guilt over having a soulmate wandering the world while his sister had lost hers so tragically. Or was it because he too wanted to know that there truly was someone out there that was perfect for him? It was possible, but Eren didn't know which to believe.

After some time, Eren came into contact with his soulmate to finally agree on a date for their first rendezvous. The earliest either of the two could agree on was in two weeks, relieving the two that they had time to mentally prepare themselves. As they said their goodbyes, Eren went his way to help Mikasa with any other chores that needed to be checked off for the night. While cleaning off the wet dishes, his mind wandered off to what he imagined his significant other would be. Though once he realized that it would only be damaging to his 'promised one', he let go, or at least tried to, of all his expectations of them. Now exhausted from the day's work, he thought he deserved a long rest because there wasn't enough time to arrange himself for this meeting. 

...

She was an absolute mess. There was no other way to describe herself other than she was in shambles, unprepared, and filled with anxiety. Who was she going to take to meet her partner, you ask, she didn't know that was sure. Once she and Armin had finished arranging the little get-together with said partner, she was finally left alone to her thoughts on how either disastrous or perfect this gathering could turn out to be. 

Though, going back to her previous thoughts on who to bring she didn't believe it would be so hard to pick between her two finalists. Having either Ymir or Jean was a definite no, considering how much hatred the two had for her soulmate. Thinking back on it, [Name] realized how much the two bonded on the mutual hatred and had finally gotten along better from it. Sasha didn't seem to be a person appropriate enough for this situation if it had made any sense. It was more to save face, really. God knows how [Name] would die of embarrassment because of Sasha's love for food blinding her from the trouble she was bound to cause. Marco initially didn't seem like such a bad idea, but ultimately he would bringing Jean along with him, which only would lead to more embarrassment for [Name]. The last thing she'd want was for a fight to break out between anyone that day. Armin seemed to be a great choice considering he was involved with arranging the rendezvous as well as being a long time friend of [Name]'s. On the other hand, Historia seemed to be just as amazing as her kind heart and words were always just a click away when [Name] needed her most. There also was the fact that Historia was able to stand her ground against Ymir and not cave into her. It became much tougher to choose between the two and [Name] ultimately decided that she'd invite them both. 

Historia was the first of the two to reply, which was in a matter of seconds. 

Tori 

do u even have to ask?? of course, I'll go! 

sent 11:43 p.m.

also, u have a ton of explaining to do >:( 

sent 11:43 p.m.

Armin, on the other hand, didn't reply, at least not through their texts.

"I don't know, [Name], maybe you should just take Historia. I don't think I'm someone you want there." He played with the small bundle of string at the bottom of his vest. [Name] noticed his immediate hesitance. As much as she wanted him to be with Historia and her on that day, she didn't see the need to force him. Especially when he made it obvious he wasn't comfortable thinking about the idea of being present. She sighed, "Well if that's what you want, but it won't be until two weeks from now, so if you change your mind just let me know. Please." Walking away to her vehicle, [Name] contemplated the idea of having only Historia for support. It didn't seem like a bad idea, but for [Name] it wasn't ideal either. If it were to come down to it, she'd rather have at least someone to join her. 

The days went by slowly, which felt like a blessing and a curse simultaneously for the two. Each day, [Name] awaited Armin's response but continued receiving the same answer. By the third day, once Armin noticed [Name] approaching again he sent her a knowing look which had abruptly stopped her from asking again for the following days. Eren, on the other hand, was drowning himself in reading articles filled with outrageous stories on how disastrous some soulmate meetings have gone, some of the "do's and don'ts" in said meetings, including asking some coworkers what their experience was. He was practically running on coffee for the past two weeks and Mikasa tried everything in her power to lessen the anxiety and have him try alternative methods to keep him up and running. Though the only thing she truly thought was going to ease him was to finally meet his partner and she couldn't wait for the day to come. 

When the day finally, [Name] didn't have the strength to go to get up and off her bed. Her heart felt heavy and she felt that breathing became a difficult task for her to do. Her phone rang beside her and without looking, she reached and answered whoever was on the other line. 

"Hello?"

"Why do you sound like you just woke up?" It was Historia. She sounded like she had been up for hours. Exactly what time was it? Glancing at her phone, [Name] saw that it had just turned 6:41 a.m. Her 7 a.m. alarm hadn't even gone off. Pulling the phone back to her ear she replied, "Because I just did, 'tori."

"[Name]! Get in the shower! I'm heading over in half an hour, so by the time I'm there you better be out!" Historia's whisper-shouting was enough to spook [Name] into sitting up right away. Letting Historia know that she'd do just as she was told, [Name] groaned once the phone call had ended. They weren't due to be at her soulmate's apartment until 9:30 a.m. this morning and being awake an extra nineteen minutes earlier than expected was positively not part of the plan. Though laying in bed until her alarm rang was definitely an option she was willing to make. Just then, her phone vibrated and the screen lit up once more, this time a message notification from Historia appeared. 

Tori

U better not be thinking about waiting until 7 to get up!!!

sent 6:46 a.m.

And that was how [Name] started her day with an extra fourteen minutes for an early shower before heading to her kitchen for a small breakfast. The wait for Historia's arrival didn't take long, in fact, she stayed true to her word as she arrived in the thirty minutes since her call. At exactly 7:11 a.m. there were three hard knocks to her apartment door and [Name], her wet hair currently tangled, jumped at the noise. Trying to arrange her hair as presentable as possible, she made her way to the door and tried to sneak a peek at who was on the other side from her small side window. Seeing as it was Historia, the door swung open and the very petite blonde walked straight past [Name].

"Come on! We need to get you ready!" The blonde found her way through [Name]'s closet while the latter came back with two bowls of fresh oatmeal and fruits. The two spent at least an hour figuring out which outfit was ideal for the next coming up hours. Hair was decided the days before, while any makeup [Name] thought would compliment the outfit was determined on the spot. The whole ordeal had taken at least a whole two hours, sparing only thirty minutes for the two to get to Historia's vehicle and head to [Name]'s soulmate's apartment. 

"We're gonna be late! Get your shit and let's go!" Historia ordered as she scooped up her purse and dug for her keys. [Name] grabbed her choice of shoes and snatched her purse on her drawer before following Historia out the door. With the door now locked, [Name] jogged her way down to the parking lot and let out a cry when she was nearly hit by a passing vehicle. Though the impact hadn't occurred and only a honk came from the car before her. 

"Get in!" Came Historia's voice from the driver's seat. Heart pounding from the scare, [Name] made her way to the passenger seat. [Name] placed her phone on her lap once the GPS was in place as the two entered the highway. The drive was somewhat calming, but the irregular swerving from Historia's driving was nerve-racking. As nervous as [Name] was, Eren was possibly worse. 

The night before had already been difficult to even lay in bed. Eren rarely took a seat as he was double checking what he and Mikasa had planned when his partner arrived. He paced around the apartment, mumbling his scripted greetings and conversation starters, Mikasa only grew more impatient whenever he would make another round throughout the flat. It wasn't until 12 a.m. that the older sibling was able to convince the younger that sleep was much needed in order for their next day's event to go smoothly. Even then, Eren laid in bed twisting and turning, not finding a comfortable position for some time. He'd occasionally fall into short naps before he finally slept. Though still in his dream, Eren had dreamt that his significate other had brought in a diverse group of animals into his home while Mikasa road a horse trying to gather all the animals. He only awoke because of an elephant was running toward him. He had managed to dodge it, but it resulted in him colliding with his floor, waking him from the bizarre dream. 

Laying on the floor, Eren reached for his phone as it laid charging on his nightstand. The brightness blinded him for some seconds before he could see that the time was only 5:58 a.m. Too damn early. Nearly a whole three hours before the said meet up. Not being able to sleep, he got up and off the ground and onto his bed. For the next hour and a half, Eren laid in bed wondering what his partner would look like, what their likes and dislikes would be or if they'd instantly click like others have said to have done. It was terrifying having to wait so long, but he really had no one to blame but himself for having stalled their meeting for so long. What if they resented him for delaying for as long as he did? It would be reasonable, but he was hoping they would be a bit understanding for his sake. Before long, Mikasa was knocking at his door, wanting him to set the table and get dressed for their guests' arrival. 

By the time the two were finished with setting the table and cooking up a fresh breakfast meal, it was fifteen minutes until the decided time. Now all the two had to do was wait for their company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> o o f honestly lemme know what u think cuz ur gurl need feedback lmao nah but i think im going to make this just three parts. who knows cuz i dont ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ i really think it should be tho so ya + i was hella struggling cuz i had writers block. is that what it's called lmao i dont kno. N E ways hope u all enjoyed it cuz the next one will take a whiiiile just like this one lmao i suck but yeah thanks for reading my stupid stuff. also lemme kno if ive made a mistake cuz stuff like that bothers me! again thx ma dudes 
> 
> (◕‿◕✿)


	3. three

As the door shut close, Eren began to pace once more. Mikasa leaving to get some groceries was definitely not part of the plan. He had thought she would have known they had been out of juice since yesterday instead of waiting last minute. To be fair, she did have a point that they had only water as the only choice of drink and "What if they were to have an allergy to water? It's possible they're aquagenic.". She seemed so sincere that Eren thought it ridiculous to argue with her. Though the thought of only ten minutes left until his partner was to arrive had him anxious and warned Mikasa not to take any longer than those ten minutes. He most surely didn't want to be the one who answered when that bell rang, he needed support. He needed Mikasa to be beside him when his partner walked through that door and if she wanted to make a cruel prank for making her and his partner wait so long, why now of all times? 

Deciding that sitting was probably a better choice, he took the closest chair and watched the clock tick away the remaining minutes. 

...

"Jeez, Tori, stop swerving!" 

"Do you want to be there on time or what?" The car jerked again, this time into a highway exit. The GPS' monotone voice stated what their next move was and Historia was quick to follow through the direction. Maybe Historia wasn't the best option as she previously thought. She wonders how different it would have been if Armin had only agreed to come along. He most definitely didn't seem to take a liking to her partner, but he was such a close friend that it felt off to not have him there with her. It was another five or so minutes before the monotone voice came again saying, "The destination is to your left. You have arrived." 

[Name]'s stomach did flips for the umpteenth time that morning when she saw the apartment buildings. They looked slightly pricier than the ones [Name] and her friends lived in, but the only disadvantage from these was the lack of parking spaces the residences would have. Looking for a parking space was testing Historia's patience, but not long after they were able to find a free space around the corner of the neighborhood. [Name] rummaged around her purse to find the address and other instructions she had written two weeks prior to this day. Now that she had the gum wrapper in hand, [Name] and Historia made their way toward the flats. 

"This is what you wrote it on?" Historia teased when she reached for the gum wrapper that had the address written on it. [Name] rolled her eyes, but her friend knew that she didn't take the comment to heart. "I think I was so much in shock that I can hardly remember what I wrote or did when it happened."

[Name]'s heart pounded and she was sure that when she got any closer to their destination that it'd be heard by all those around. Taking deep breaths didn't seem to be as useful as she thought and it was then that Historia held her hand for the remainder of the walk. Walking up to the gate, the two realized that they would need to be either buzzed in or have a key to the door beside the gate. Taking in a shaky breath, [Name] pressed on the button for the apartment 'D4' and waited for a response or for someone to come down and open the gates for them. Historia squeezed her friend's hand and looked around for anyone who poked their head out of a window. There was nothing for a few minutes until a car came and opened the large gate for the two. The window rolled down and the two watched a young Asian woman wave her hand to signal them to go in before her. Thanking her, the two made their way to the apartment before the woman from earlier called, "Are you two here to meet someone?"

Historia took the lead, "Yes, do you happen to know where D4 is at?" The woman nodded and waved them over and told them she would take them to her shared garage. They trailed behind her vehicle and spoke quietly to one another. 

"I don't think I can do this."

"[Name], you can and will. We've made it this far and I'm not letting you chicken out. You, of all people, deserve a happily ever after and if they aren't the one then there are loads of cute guys out in the world." 

"Please, Tori, let's just go home. I can wait for another week."

"[Name], no we're not. We aren't leaving until you meet this f-"

The car door was shut and the two abruptly ended their conversation. The other woman opened her trunk and pulled out two bags of groceries, filled with a variety of juices and a gallon of milk, before leading the other two to her front door. They followed a few steps behind the woman and watched her as she pulled out keys that open the door that read 'D4'. As soon as the door had opened another voice was heard, only this time it was a male, “Mikasa, they’re waiting outside! Did you see them-“ 

Just then, a young man was visible from the inside of the flat. His voice sent [Name]'s heart pounding and she found his eye color enticing as he widened them out of shock. He was slightly tanned and brunette, someone who [Name] didn’t expect but then again she wasn’t so sure what she expected. His broad shoulders and height just seemed to add more to his intimidating appearance at first glance, but the paling of his face and shaky voice pushed the daunting presence away, "C-Come in."

[Name] felt more assured when she notice that she wasn't the only one that was too nervous to start any conversation. He pulled in who they would only assume was his sibling and opened the door wide enough for his guests, not being able to hold eye contact with either as he still didn't know who was his soulmate. She felt that she had gained some confidence and was the one to lead Historia and her into the home. The two guests were lead to a dining table and had introduced each other, Eren making the conversation rather awkward when he had mistaken Historia for being his partner instead of [Name]. 

"You're the one I've signing then?" He now directed to [Name] who simply nodded, not yet ready with being able to speak to him. Glancing down at their intertwined hands, Eren let out an uneven breath, “I didn’t think you’d move on this quick.” 

“Oh!“

”Us?“

The two friends, now flustered with yet another wrong assumption, let go of the others hand and stuttered out an explanation that they were only friends. Historia went on that she had already been with her soulmate Ymir for some time now. Now being embarrassed that he had made yet another wrong guess, Eren signaled his sister to take the lead and chose to keep quiet. But the older sibling seemed to ignore it.

"I think I should head into the kitchen to finish preparing breakfast, Historia, would you care to join?" Mikasa declared as she rose from her seat, brushing away invisible dust off her lap. Historia jumped at the opportunity to leave the soul mates alone, agreeing all too eagerly before rising from her seat and following Mikasa into the kitchen. "Well, don't mind if I do!"

It was then that the tension between [Name] and Eren grew thicker. 

"So are you a morning person or an outdoor person- em I mean an uh- well- a night... owl?"

Behind him, he could hear Historia try to cover up her snickers and Mikasa let out a chortle. His soul mate, on the other hand, grinned in a teasing way before telling him, "First date questions? I'd have thought you would have made some effort on conversation starters for me."

Eren was sure that his heart had stopped beating. He felt his entire body grow warm. Just having her smile before him was captivating and she had barely spoken a sentence to him. Damn, those articles were spot on. He could feel the heat rise on his cheeks and continued to try to stutter out an actual question that would seem relevant to their situation. "I sincerely apologize for taking so long to reply, [Name]. I truly mean that from the bottom of my heart." 

[Name] had a tender smile on her face that didn't reach her eyes, it was odd to him how much this smile seemed to have the opposite affect on him than the first smile. She lifted her hands from her lap and gently held on to his from across the table. "I'm sure you had your reasons, Eren, and I hope that over time you're able to tell what that reason was."

From then on the two were getting along just fine, figuring out some of their background and what they shared in common. It wasn't until the subject of the signing system was brought up that the two finally weren't seeing eye to eye. 

"I just think that it's bullshit, that's all!" Eren's voice gave a hint of annoyance. Now Mikasa and Historia had joined them and the group had finished their breakfast. Once they heard Eren's tone, Mikasa had already positioned some of the dishes ready to take back to their sink. Historia grew uneasy with the aura [Name] gave off as she grew agitated with Eren's belief.

"Bullshit? Really? Did you even give it a chance?" [Name] hadn’t planned to have this discussion with him knowing it wasn’t going to end well, but he really was pushing her buttons. Eren leaned onto the table, seeming to try and justify his opinion, “It’s not just me who thinks this. I have a friend who thinks so too!” 

[Name] let out a scoff, “Yeah, one person against- what?- the majority of the world?” 

“But, listen to me, Armin’s one of the smartest people I know! He truly thinks that there’s something wrong with the system.” Historia and [Name] turn to give each other questioning looks but chose to ignore the name. They had just hoped it was a coincidence for their sake. But Eren continued, ”Armin's a good friend of mine and he's been incredibly bright since we were kids, always been a step ahead of me. But, he's told me that even with having signed to his 'soulmate' he's been utterly in love with this woman who isn't his partner! He's met his soulmate and everything, but he says that it just doesn't work out, no matter what!" Now Eren grew very confident and held a smug look on his face, "How's that for a chance? He's been in contact with his 'chosen one' for years, even met them, but he still ends up going back with that other woman." 

Historia just couldn't hold it any longer, she needed to know, "Does your friend happen to be Armin Arlert? I'm just curious." Eren nodded hesitantly, reaching for his glass of water, and watched as Historia pulled out her phone. He glanced at [Name] while he took a sip of his water, raising his eyebrow while [Name] sheepishly smiled. Once Historia found what she needed on her screen, she turned it to face Mikasa, "Is this your friend?" 

Mikasa nodded while Eren leaned toward Historia's outreached hand which held her phone with a picture of Armin, along with their friends out on a movie night. The brunette frowned, "How do you know Armin?" It hadn't occurred to Eren that Armin had a whole other friend group even when he attended a completely different university than Eren did. Though, he could feel a bit hurt that they hadn't been introduced from the years that Armin had known them. Had it been unintentional of Armin to separate friend groups or was there something more? 

"Well, we attend the same university, but he's never mentioned anything of you from what I can remember." [Name] said, frowning from the same thoughts that Eren had. Mikasa seemed slightly uncomfortable from what was being said, "Well, of course, he's going to have other friends, but what good does it do when you seem to be hiding one group from the other?"

Historia jumped in to defend her unattended friend, "Now, wait, we don't know if he was trying to hide us from the other. What we do know is that he's just kept school away from personal stuff, which is completely normal."

”But definitely suspicious when you’ve had these friends for as long as you’ve known him, which I’m guessing was a couple of years.” Came Eren’s reply and he was right. Of course, he hated the fact that he was because Armin was a close friend that he was confident in telling anything, but now he was beginning to realize that it might not have been the same with Armin. Mikasa sighed to contain her emotions. She and Armin were great friends because he was long-time friends with Eren, she considered them to be close enough to tell each other these things. They had gone through so much together and encouraged each other to keep on striving through difficult times that they've considered themselves family. It wasn’t until these recent years that Armin seemed somewhat out of touch. He didn't seem sincere with them as he once was and it seemed that only Mikasa had picked up on this change. Then a thought popped into her head. One that could only explain why neither groups knew of each other, but she’s still wasn’t entirely confident in stating her theory. 

“[Name], I’m assuming you shared that Eren wouldn’t contact you within your friends, but did Armin encourage you to cut ties with him?” [Name] was hesitant to answer, but she knew that they were waiting for an answer, “At first, all of them seemed to. They weren't too fond with him avoiding me..., but in terms of me just moving on though on the day you contacted me,” She glanced over at Eren, “He was telling me how my soulmate wasn’t deserving of me. H-he seemed almost angry you had given me a sign.” 

There was a pregnant pause before Mikasa moved on to ask Eren, “Did you tell him about you not signing to her?” 

“Of course I told him! He said that- that it wouldn’t have mattered if I did or didn’t answer any of her signs. That it was possible the system was screwed.” He frowned, “Armin always knew what to say when I wasn’t in the mood to deal with the signs....” 

"Do you think he knew?" Questioned Historia, still very uncertain that her close friend would go as far as what they can only assume he did. It seemed to fit the narrative; Armin who was completely in love with a friend, [Name], finds out that another close friend of his, Eren, is their soulmate and chooses to take advantage of both of their emotions. Even then, it didn't seem anything like Armin. He was too emotional and empathetic for such an act. But they needed some scenario to connect the pieces as to why he was so connected to both. Just then Historia had a look of realization, “You said that he’s already met his soulmate, right?” 

Mikasa agreed and explain that they’ve already met Armin's soulmate. It was an awkward meeting between the four because no matter how engaging Armin’s soulmate was, Armin didn’t necessarily interact with them. He hardly seemed to acknowledge them throughout that day. It struck both siblings odd, but not wanting to cause a scene they had left it to the couple to deal with. Historia frowned at the explanation, “Armin told us that she was still in Russia. That- that she wasn't able to understand his signs. He even started learning Russian for her and-“ 

[Name] began tuning out Historia’s rambling. Why was Armin trying to hide so much from them? Was he really in love with her and if so, was she truly oblivious to not notice any advances? Nothing was truly making sense. She needs answers from him to clear up these assumptions they've made of him. It wasn't long before [Name] had her phone in hand and began to dial Armin's number. The rest watched in anticipation, wondering exactly what kind of reaction she'd have with him. The voice on the other end answered, "Hey, [Name]. I'm a little busy right now, but uh-" 

A woman's voice can be heard on the other end, asking Armin who had called. When he ignored them, he continued, "What going on? Aren't you gonna be meeting your soulmate soon?" Surprisingly, to all of them, [Name] had calmly asked if he was able to come over to Eren and Mikasa's apartment that day. When Armin said he'd be there immediately, they spared their farewells and hung up. It seemed that they'd be doing more waiting until their mutual friend had arrived. 

...

When Armin had seen the name of someone he held so close to his heart on his phone screen, his stomach dropped. Today had been the day, he wasn't able to restrain himself from counting down the day and crossing each day off from his calendar when he figured out the day. It didn't seem fair for her to call him, knowing that he wanted to avoid it like the plague. But something told him that it was more than when he was going to expect. And it was. Of course, they were going to find out that he was a mutual friend of theirs, but what else had they figured out? 

Informing his soulmate he would be heading to his friends' apartment, Armin made his way outside to his parked car. Feeling anxious was an understatement, he wasn't sure exactly how long it took for him to arrive at the black gated entrance. Ringing for Mikasa to open the gate, Armin's anxiety was skyrocketing through the roof and there was no denying that he needed to go into this situation level-headed. The gate began to reel itself in and the blond drove his vehicle outside the assigned garage for his friends.

"God, why me?" Armin rested his head against the steering wheel of his vehicle. He wanted a moment of peace before walking into a warzone. 

Walking up the stairs to the front door never once seemed like such a difficult task until now. Each step was heavier than the last. As he finally reached the front door, he knocked and awaited the inevitable task before him. Hearing each lock turning and the door swinging open, Armin didn't bother looking the person in the eye as she was most definitely giving him a look of disappointment or at least he thought so. Historia moved aside to make room for her friend to walk in. 

The scene before was set up similarly to one of his scenarios he'd think up when the guilt was eating him up again. Eren sat across from [Name], Mikasa beside her brother like always. Historia's belongings were beside [Name] so that left sitting in-between the soul mates, facing everyone on the table. That left either ends of the table for him to choose from. Deciding that either end was just as bad as the other, he opted to take Mikasa and Historia's end. He could take physical harm better than the disappointment from [Name] and possibly Eren.

It was quiet for some time, Armin would cough awkwardly before realizing that he should be the on to begin. His nerves were getting the better of him. He couldn't think straight. He wasn't quite sure if this was even real.

"I want to- to know why I was called..." He knew, he just needed confirmation. 

"I think you already know that Armin." [Name]'s tone held no anger, instead, it was empty of any emotion. Almost robotic. It was off-putting for him, but it only reminded him how much he royally screwed up. This was much more serious than he thought it to be. He spoke again, "I... I just want to know if you've all got the wrong idea or not."

"Well did you or did you not know that they were soul mates?" Mikasa showed no indication that she was even upset. It was difficult to see how Mikasa or [Name] felt, they seemed to hold their emotions in better than the others. Historia's eyes almost drooped with the amount of disappointment she felt, whether if it was toward him or not he wasn't exactly sure. Eren refused to look in his direction, trying to even his breathing since Armin arrived. It was much easier reading people who wore their hearts on their sleeves. He sighed, "Well I still wasn't quite sure of it just yet so... that's kind of why I didn't want to come. I know it probably-"

"You've had four years, Armin. Four fucking years to figure it out! Y-You just watched us struggle, you bastard!" Eren rose from his seat, the chair legs scraping the floor, glaring at the man he once called his best friend. The women immediately stood as well, Mikasa placing a hand on his shoulder only for it to be shoved away. Historia gently took her hand and placed it above Armin's chest as it panted heavily. 

"Struggled?" Armin let out a scoff, "Don't start acting like you actually cared for her when it was you that left her with nothing for years! Don't you get it, Eren? You were the reason why you both struggled! You held yourself back from," the blond took a deep breath, lowing his voice and trying to keep his cool, "- from having the best damn soul mate and for what? You know, just because the system failed those around you doesn't mean it would have failed you. Dammit, you're the lucky one out of the three of us. And yet, you don't even deserve her." Armin's face was turning a cherry red with anger. Historia began to soothe Armin, but the young man didn't seem to hear her words. [Name] watched both men with a glare, they seem to forget that she was even in the room. 

"And you think you do? With keeping me and her apart, manipulating her in-"

"I never did such a thing!"

"Will you two stop acting like children and shifting the blame? None of this is making any sense, I just want to clear this whole thing up before we start pointing fingers." [Name] huffed, crossing her arms as the men turned to glance at her. She was after all another victim in the situation here. Not only neglected from any interaction from her soulmate, but her close friend had only encouraged such treatment for the span of nearly four years. It didn't feel fair, all of this. Why did her friend keep her soulmate away from her for so long? 

"Just- Armin, just tell us what the hell you've been doing with- with this- with us?" [Name] massaged her temple as she sat back down into her chair. Heart pounding, Armin had all eyes on him and he could feel his breakfast wanting to crawl its way back up. The heat from his face now fading and his palms were becoming sweaty that he needed to wipe them on his pant legs from time to time. It was time to tell his side of the story and if he was going to be truthful then he'd have to start from the very beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guess who's back from the sewers!! :D ya fav rodent is back and now with the worst case of a fever! :) sorry i left it on a cliffhanger....but we doin great other than i haven't finished this and need to cuz i missed not having to share my ugly thoughts with the world wide web!! also if i had any errors lemme know cuz id appreciate it! i hope u enjoyed reading this! :)

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you all enjoyed reading! i'd gratefully appreciate some feedback! this lil story has been in the back of my mind for so long i swear its been months since i started it and yet i finally wrote down what i wanted!! n e wayyyy i'll get to finishing this lil story in a bit :// also! 4,471 words n 12.9 pages!! the most i think i have done. okay gotta gooo :)))


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